Mayor Good Boy

Mayor Good Boy #1

by Dave Scheidt, Miranda Harmon

There's a new dog in town! Finally Greenwood gets the mayor they've been waiting for--Mayor Good Boy! In this graphic novel, a very good dog is going to save his town, one hilarious try at a time.

The votes are in and the new mayor is...A DOG?!

This dog will do more than shake paws. Mayor Good Boy is here to help Greenwood become a town filled with kindness, starting with fetching help for the local zoo. With foes around every corner trying to put a stop to Mayor Good Boy's campaign of fun, are there cheese snacks and belly rubs in his future? Or will the whole town suddenly have a flea problem?

In the hilarious Mayor Good Boy graphic novel series, everyone can make the world a better place, whether you're a human or a dog.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Animals, Comics, Childrens, Humor, Dogs

224 pages, Hardcover

First published August 31, 2021

Reviews

[BookBairn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a lot more juvenile than I was expecting and I can see it being perfect for DogMan fans. Packed full of fart jokes, an implausibly talking dog and a plot that doesn't have a coherent story arc, this was not one for me but I'm sure my 8year old will love it!

[Emilie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful adventure about being kind and taking care of each other. Illustrations are beautiful and the story is funny and sweet. Plus there’s a bonus mini comic that teaches kids to contact their local representatives! 10/10 would vote for Mayor Good Boy’s re-election.

[Amaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I thought of this book is never be mean and never give up.

[Jack Phoenix · Rating 3 out of 5]

Featuring one of the cutest illustrated dogs ever, MAYOR GOOD BOY'S surprising combination of appealing art, potty humor, and appeal to activism will make it a pleasure for middle-grade readers and more.

[Mathew · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just didn't get it. The illustrations are sweet and I suspect many children will love some of the humour but it was caught between trying to be semi-serious (about how we can all make a difference) and extremely silly. Also, 'why' the mayor is a dog is never really explained. It was as if Scheidt and Harmon were trying to put in too many things and the pieces didn't fit. I will say though, that there were moments that made me chuckle (and my boys) but they mostly revolved around Aaron (the young, gross brother) and fart jokes.

[Laura Mossa · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a dog named Good Boy is elected as mayor of Greenwood, the town is divided. During his first speech as mayor, a group of angry constituents storm the city hall. Abby gets her younger brother Aaron to willingly expose his stinky socks thus creating a diversion to rescue Good Boy. In gratitude for their effort, Good Boy’s chief of staff, Ms. Monica, offers the siblings a job to work with in the mayor’s office. Their first order of business is to enhance the public image of Mayor Good Boy with all the people in town. Can Abby and Aaron help get the town on Mayor Good Boy’s side by exposing Old Man Mervis for his dastardly deeds?

Schiedt’s humorous plot and Hamron’s energetic illustrations will bring smiles and giggles to readers. Not only will kids laugh out loud especially at Aaron’s gross antics, but also they will learn about how they actively get involved in their own community. I especially liked seeing Abby’s confidence grow and the reinforcement of teamwork makes the dream work. Following the story is The Mayor Good Boy Pledge promoting positive change and a mini-comic on how kids can contact elected officials to voice their concerns. Tutorials on how to draw Mayor Good Boy, Abby, and Aaron will support budding ilustrators create their own adventures.

Two more books in the series are forthcoming-Mayor Good Boy Goes Hollywood in 2022 and Mayor Good Boy Turns Bad in 2023. Thanks to Random House Graphic for sharing an eARC. Mayor Good Boy publishes next month on August 31, 2021.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Greenwood just elected its new mayor, a dog named Good Boy. Some people think Greenwood is going to the dogs, but maybe a happy dog is just what this town needs. While 2 kids in this story were able to work directly for the mayor (child labor?), I like that the author included realistic ways for kids to get involved in politics. For fans of Dog Man.

[Mandy Crumb · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm not sure why Mayor Good Boy, the dog, was elected even after reading the book. Chapters felt disconnected. Fart and poop jokes included as well as illustrations of same sex couple. The "bad guy" in the book is simply upset that a dog has been elected. Makes no sense. Not continuing the Good Boy series in my house.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute story about a dog becoming mayor of town and a cute way of teaching kids that their representatives are working for them and that should they have anything to say that their representatives will listen. Such utopian thoughts.

[Raven Black · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fun message about helping and doing the right thing in a very kid humor focus.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable!

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughter and I read the Dog Man & CatKid Comic club graphic novels together, and since we're all caught up with those series, I was looking for similar stories. The artwork of Mayor Good Boy drew my attention, as well as the premise-a dog is elected mayor of a city? Ok, let's see how this works out.
I am really glad we read it together, because my daughter (who is 6) really enjoyed the artwork and the story. Sure, adult readers do have to suspend disbelief at a dog being elected mayor and how it came to be, but that's the fun in stories like these! There's a great, kid-friendly message behind the story of teamwork and what happens with some people don't agree with election results (can we say timely?), mixed in with fart jokes and the overall silliness that will appeal to readers of Dog Man and Captain Underpants.
Just like in Dog Man, there is a section in the back that teaches readers how to draw the characters from the story, as well as teaches kids how to contact their representatives.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Graphic Novel
I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's Publishing through NetGalley.
Upper elementary readers will love the humor in Scheidt's story. The overall theme of a talking dog as the mayor will appeal to a wide variety of readers. Each of the characters' quirks - human and animal - are played up and over the top. Readers will connect with them and wonder what they will try next. Good Boy, Abby, Aaron and Ms. Monica work together to promote the town and save it from some potential disasters including escaped zoo animals and a flea infestation. Even the gentleman who opposes a dog for mayor was introduced in a funny scary manner. Readers will laugh at his antics and over the top schemes to get rid of Mayor Good Boy. The artwork is fun to study and readers will pick up on further details and hints on action to come.
A quick fun read that will appeal to middle grade readers who are looking for something silly.

[Theediscerning · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hmmm... There might be a sequence of extended skits where the town mayor is a talking dog (heck, that mayor in Talkeetna, Alaska was a cat, and didn't have to speak (as far as anyone knows)), but bring in annoying siblings co-opted into his ideas and projects, unfunny but oh-too-recurring jokes about dog naps and cheese and too many references to barfing, and this series opener proved it really was not up my street. There might well be lessons about community engagement, but the slapstick got there first. One and a half stars for a missed opportunity.

[Jessie Bond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightfully silly story of a town where a talking dog is elected mayor. Mayor Good Boy hires two kids, the practical Abby and the gross-out-joke-loving Aaron, to help him run the town. Shenanigans and fart jokes ensue as they duke it out with a cranky citizen who doesn't want a dog for mayor (spoilsport) and will do anything to get Mayor Good Boy kicked out of office. Ends with an uplifting messages about doing good for your community and a mini-comic about how to contact your political representatives. Perfect for the many Dav Pilkey fans of the world.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

very very sweet and cute! i love that the art is simple and there's a guide in the back so that if a kid wanted to draw the characters they could. and most of the jokes were fun as well! also i appreciated that mayor good boy loved cheese. my dog is also a cheese hound. i really loved abby as well. yes the characters are kinda flat but it's geared towards younger kids so it isn't a big deal

obligatory comment on other reviews: someone said that they couldn't get past "how the dog became the mayor"....i have news for you about something called suspension of disbelief.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute book about how a dog, mayor good boy, helps Greenwood and helps the town fill itself with kindness which starts with fetching help for the local zoo in that town while saving it as well. This book has great graphics and it will help me in the classroom by showing the students that not all graphic novels are the same. I would put this in my classroom library so the students can look at the pictures or read the story and understand it to the best of their abilities. I think that the author of this book wrote it very well so all of their readers can understand it.

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have liked it more or it was actually about Mayor Good Boy, but it's really about the two kids.

The book opens with Good Boy being confirmed as Mayor. There are immediately protestors complaining about having a dog as a mayor. After a ruckus, where the two kids help out, Good Boy hires them to help with PR. The book follows the group as they try to connect with the town in a series of misadventures. And then one particular protestor starts to get malicious and they have to deal with it.

The art is okay. The writing could have been better.

[Mal the Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was adorable and probably one the best and funniest books I've read so far this year. I would have never thought that a dog would end up being Mayor, but I'm really glad in this book that the mayor was a dog because that would never happen in real life. I actually wish it would because humans do the absolute worse things and dogs are so smart and adorable. This is a great book and I can't wait to read the sequels!

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was not great. Had a random and unnecessary lesbian kiss. In a kids book. There is a difference between accepting people of a different orientation and agreeing with them, and there is an even bigger step towards impressing it on kids because of your agenda. Story was uninteresting, art was dull, characters unlikable, dialogue basic and cliche. Felt like a liberal who knew some very few things about psychology tried to write a kids book.

[Ellon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars (I liked it)

I have a few 2nd grade boys who have requested that I add Mayor Good Boy to the library several times. I ordered them but decided to read one while I waited for the book order to arrive.

It's not my favorite but I can see why those students like it. It's silly and has kind of a Dog Man vibe. I like the idea of helping your community. I'm not a huge fan of having the kids have jobs that adults should have.

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mayor Good Boy, the dog, is cute.
Mayor Good Boy, the books, is meh.

The city had a new dog mayor. Some people are mad about it and try to fight back. Abby and Aaron help protect the mayor, so he hires them to help out.

Silly with lots of poop, fart, and booger humor. Not for me, but the Dog Man set would probably enjoy.

[JimmE Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. I love reading this book to my daughter. Dave and Miranda have crafted a wonderful story about a young girl and her brother learning that they can change and inspire the world. The journey these two go on with Mayor Good Boy is fun, sweet, and adorable. So much fun and love on every page.

[Kary H. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just couldn't get past not knowing why a dog was elected as mayor and why he would hire two young kids to help him. The humor will garner fans from the Dog Man crowd, but there are many other graphic novels I'd hand to kids before this one. I did appreciate the community engagement theme as well as the back matter about how to help.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

The town of Greenwood has a newly elected mayor, and it happens to be a cheeses loving, nap taking dog. What changes will Mayor Good Boy bring to the town and citizens of Greenwood? Nothing good if Mr. Mervis has anything to say and do about it. Mayor Good Boy has Aaron and Abby Ableman, along with Ms. Monica to help him do a good job.

[Daisy Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun and silly read! Scheidt’s writing is hilarious and I loved the charming simple art style by Harmon. I was laughing out loud the whole way through and was pleasantly surprised with the lesson for young readers. Mayor good boy and his friends inspire us to be active in our community and create change no matter how small! Definitely collecting the series!

[Jenny Ashby · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title sold me immediately and I went to check it out right away. Unfortunately, the story wasn't as great as I wanted it to be. Much of it was fairly disjointed. And what happened to the raccoons? I expected them to become part of the plan to stop the villain but after Good Boy talked them out of the tree, we never saw them again.

[Maehailey Goodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mayor Good Boy a very sweet message about being kind and working together, a great read for you g minds especially those struggling with confidence or has an interest in government.

This isn't a book I would typically get myself, it was Christmas present but I'm very happy I read it, was very cute and a nice light read between novels.

[Stephanie Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got a chance to read this extremely wholesome book today! In addition to just being a wonderful read, it has such a great message about doing something for your community and helping others, no matter how old you are!

[Lizzy Tiritilli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dave did such a great job! So dang charming. I appreciate that there is fun kid jokes without making fun of anyone. Just a really positive book and i like that it is getting kids excited about government. The art is really cute and the movements is so wiggly which gives it such joyful energy.